I Would Wait a Lifetime 20
by labyrinthofsuffering11
Summary: Updated version of a previous story. This one kept bothering me...enjoy?
1. Chapter 1

AN: So, about this venture. A while ago, when I firsted started writing fanfictin, I wrote an ElevenxRosexMeta!Ten story because of a Youtube video I'd seen. There were some ups, there were some downs, as always when you write some of your early works. It kept bothering me that I just didn't like the way I'd written it, it was structured, the characters, literally anything. So: I decided to do a rework of this famous story, a 2.0 version if you will. Only, this one will star Ten and Meta!Ten and hopefully fix some plot and charcter holes. *crosses fingers* As always, please review and tell me my mistakes or what I did right! I'm still continuing to grow. Constructive criticism is always the way to do that. If you loved the original, I hope you love this just as much. If you hated the original, I hope you love this new version. Thanks, lovelies!

The TARDIS was burning. The Doctor was thrown to his feet with a magnificent crash that always seemed to make him giddy. The entire ship was exploding around him, and his mind was scrambled trying to think of how he would get himself out of this one.

"Alright, old girl, don't give up on me just yet!" the Doctor exclaimed and dashed to his feet. He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the console, only to have it spit fire at him and pitch him head over heels out the door.

He clung to the edge of the mad blue box and clutched the screwdriver in his teeth.

 _Dong! Dong!_ He turned his head to look behind him, and what he saw made his eyes go wide. He was about to collide with Big Ben. The Doctor pointed his sonic at the console once more, clinging for dear life by his elbow. _Please, please, please_ he begged.

Thankfully, the TARDIS steered him above the clock at just the right moment, and he was able to regain his balance long enough to pull himself into the ship and close the doors. His chest heaved from exhaustion, and the TARDIS was _still_ burning.

"What are you doing?" he asked out loud. The ship just hummed at him in response. All of a sudden, the TARDIS' emergency lights kicked on and everything went sliding around. The Doctor couldn't tell which way was up anymore, and he felt himself sliding. He looked down to see the swimming pool.

"No, no, no!" he protested, but it was all in vain as he tumbled with a surprisingly large _splash!_ Into the library's swimming pool. The ship landed with a resounding crash, and he groaned. They had landed on the side, making it a millon times more difficult for him to crawl out of the pool. He heaved himself up over one of the edges, sighing heavily. "Would it have killed you to put on some brakes?" he grumbled.

He reached inside of his coat pocket for the sonic screwdriver to take an analysis scan on the TARDIS' problem. What he saw made him frown. "Impossible," he said out loud.

He had been running a scan for about 20 years now, trying to find if there were any ways to get back into Rose Tyler's universe, but he had never expected the TARDIS to act on it's own accord when it did. Still, he supposed that explained the rough landing and the burning of his beloved ship. He patted her fondly.

"We'll get you patched up soon enough," he promised.

The Doctor looked around for something to pull himself out with, and his gaze landed upon some rope. He tied one end to his waist, and threw the other end over the door handle. Slowly, but surely, he pulled himself out of the pool and into the parallel universe.

He had landed in a garden outside of a nice looking flat. It was nighttime, and the wind was shockingly cool against his face. Although, that might have more to do with the state of drenched he was in. The leaves were starting to change colors. The Doctor walked over to the windows, hoping to get some kind of answer as to why he landed here and not Pete Tyler's mansion or Bad Wolf Bay.

There was a family dinner going on. It was an older man, dressed in a suit and tie, an older woman with bleached blonde hair, a younger man carving turkey, and a young woman laughing and smiling.

 _Turkey? It must be Thanksgiving,_ the Doctor mused. He watched the family interacting for a few moments. The younger woman jokingly put a dollop of mashed potatoes on the younger man's nose and kissed him. His heart yearned to find Rose as soon as possible so he could be the one enjoying Thanksgiving with her. Even if it meant he had to deal with Jackie. _Still,_ he mused, _he did the domestic holiday dinner affair with her family once and it wasn't so bad. There were Christmas crackers and lots of Rose Tyler smiles._

The young man looked up. It was the metacrisis.

He stumbled back from the glass and tripped over his feet, landing in the grass on his bum. The door opened to the flat.

Well, this was it. It was time to face the music.

His metacrisis stood in the doorway, light casting shadows on the grass. "You're him, aren't you?" is all he said.

The Doctor stood up and brushed himself off. He strode over to the door. "Yeah."

"And you've come back for her, I presume?"

"Yeah," he said, pulling himself up to his full six foot height.

"She doesn't want to see you," the metacrisis hissed. "We're happy." He slammed the door in the Doctor's face.

He got angry, and that is to say really, _really_ , angry. No one treated the Doctor that way. Not even his own metacrisis. He rapped firmly on the door.

It was yanked open to reveal the metacrisis. " _What?_ " he hissed.

"If she doesn't want to see me, let me hear it. Let me hear it from her lips." The Doctor's feet were planted firmly on the doorstep, teeth gritted.

Both men sized each other up. The metacrisis sighed. "Rose?" he called. "Come here, there's someone here for you."

And then a voice came from behind the door that the Doctor thought he had no hope to ever hear again. "Who's comin' on Thanksgiving? No one from work, I hope."

His metacrisis just chuckled darkly. Rose was there, next to him. She was so beautiful, as always. Wearing a long black dress that hugged her curves so well, and hair around her shoulders. The dark circles under her eyes had faded a bit. He couldn't get enough of this moment. The Doctor drank in all of her, like he could never get enough. He just wanted to crush her into his chest and never let her go again.

Her mouth hung open slightly before she spoke, "Doctor?"

All he could do is nod.

"But how are you-" she trailed off breathlessly, seemingly unable to finish her thoughts.

"Here?" the Doctor finished.

"Well, yeah."

"It was Donna," he admitted. "She left a gift behind before she left. An algorithm that kept replicating endlessly, over any possible universe, looking for a spark or a tiny crack that would lead me back here."

"I thought this is what you wanted," Rose said, making a sweeping gesture with her hand.

"It was the TARDIS," he admitted. "She acted all on her own and brought me here."

Rose's face fell slightly at those words, but she looked eagerly behind him. "Where is she?"

"Over in the garden," he assured. "Crash landed, in need of a repair. But Rose," he said solemnly, "I am glad she brought me here."

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly. "Me too."

"Rose Tyler," he pronounced with his ear splitting grin in tow.

"Would you like to come in for some dinner?" she invited.

The metacrisis looked at the two of them, like he was trying to decipher something.

"Oh, I don't know," the Doctor said, scrubbing his neck sheepishly. "I don't want to intrude. And the TARDIS really does need to be repaired."

"Let's get back, Rose," the metacrisis said gently, draping an arm around her shoulder to lead her back into the flat.

The Doctor was about to say something before he was drifting into black, his head hitting the ground with a loud _thump!_ It's the Time Lord brain, he found himself joking.

…

The Doctor shot up and rubbed his head. It felt like he had collided with a train. "What happened to me?" he wondered out loud. He looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, and found himself to be lying on a couch. He was in completely different clothes and had a thick blanket wrapped around his body. But where?

As if to answer his question someone appeared in the doorway to his left. It was Rose. _This has to be a dream,_ he was telling himself. She wasn't standing there, he just had a nasty fall when the TARDIS landed.

Rose walked over to him slowly, like she was afraid if she moved too fast he might disappear altogether. She sat down next to him slowly, looking down at her hands.

"Hi," she said quietly.

"Hi," he croaked.

"That was a nasty fall you took out there," she observed. "I thought Time Lords don't get concussed?"

The Doctor's lips quirked upwards. "We don't usually," he said dryly. "Must have been from when I fell in the swimming pool."

"Yeah, John noticed you were soaking to the bone and freezing when he picked you up. He changed you into some of his clothes and I got you a blanket."

"Thanks," the Doctor said sincerely. "Where's Jackie then?"

"I sent her and Pete home with the promise of a full story in the morning," she told him, grinning. "You can imagine how well that went over with mum, but Pete convinced her if they left right then she could put Tony to bed, and she doesn't like to miss that."

"Your brother," he remembered. "The one your mum was pregnant with?"

"Yeah," Rose said, "He's two years old now. Growin' straight like a bean pole. Smart."

He smiled at that. "He's got a brilliant sister."

Rose blushed at that, her hand reaching out to touch his shirt. "You look so strange," she acknowledged.

It was then he realized what he was wearing. Instead of his normal suit, he'd been dressed in dark jeans and a band tee.

"Is this his usual stuff then?" the Doctor asked disdainfully.

"When he's around the house," she said. "At work, it's still the usual suit. You'd think after seeing him wear normal clothes for two years, this would be okay for me, but I think it's cause it's you."

The Doctor harrumphed. "I can dress down sometimes."

"When!" she laughed. "In your pants, maybe, when it's absolutely necessary!"

The Doctor reddened at that. "That counts."

He grabbed her hand out of reflex where it was still on his chest, and he noticed she flinched slightly.

The metacrisis cleared his throat as he entered the room. "Feeling better I see," he remarked flatly.

The Doctor just nodded, putting on his fake smile. Always alright. "I don't suppose there's any food leftover?" he asked hopefully. "It's only know I'm feeling famished."

Rose's face brightened. "Course there is, I haven't put anything away yet." She got up and immediately headed towards the kitchen.

The Doctor dutifully followed close behind, the metacrisis on his heels.

Rose quickly prepared a full plate for him, consisting of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, a bread roll, and cranberry sauce.

He inhaled. "Smells wonderful!" He dug into the plate with vigor, before asking, "Now, then, what have you lot been up to?"

Rose looked at the metacrisis. "We've been okay," she smiled.

"Welllll, I'd call it more than okay." John winked in her direction.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Right then, back to the TARDIS I think."

"I think you should stay here, at least for the night," Rose said. "You did take a nasty fall to the head and you should try to sleep. When was the last time you slept?" she implored him, her amber eyes drilling straight into him for an answer.

"Nah, I won't sleep, me. I should really get back and try to repair the old girl. All I need is to set her right side up again," he said, avoiding her gaze and the last part of her question.

"At least let John help you put the TARDIS right side up," she sighed. "Please."

He nodded in acquiese.

"Good. You boys run along, I'll wash up."

They walked outside, defeated.

"You still can't resist her, can you?" John asked quietly.

"Of course not, I'm you. You know that better than anyone."

He sighed. "I know. What did you come back for, Doctor?"

"Her," he answered simply. "I hadn't really thought of what after that."

"That's what I thought," the matacrisis said coldly. Just- _don't_ make this any harder on her than it has to be, alright? Until you figure out what you're doing, I don't want another Bad Wolf Bay on my hands. You don't know, you weren't _here._ And I understand, Doctor, believe me, I do. I'm just saying you don't know what it's like to be the ones left behind."

The words sliced straight through the Doctor's hearts. "Okay," he agreed sadly. "I'll try not to be anything more than her friend."

The metacrisis nodded, satified. "Good. Now, let's get this TARDIS right side up, shall we?"


	2. Chapter 2

AN: So, I left some of John's outbursts in these scenes because, I'd like to think it's only been a year, at most year and a half since they were left on Bad Wolf Bay and he still has some rage. I've obviously toned it down some, however. I also think everyone is just way more in character in these scenes, but as always feel free for constructive criticism. Enjoy!

After John left, the Doctor's hand was poised above the beloved handle of his ship. The Doctor sighed, taking his key out from his jeans pocket and carefully unlocking her door. Prepared for the worst, he opened the door slowly.

Nothing could have prepared him for this. _Oh, his gorgeous ship was in ruins._

He sank to the ground at the doors, and looked around him with tears in his eyes. He stroked the floor softly. _I will fix this,_ he promised the TARDIS. After pausing for a moment of silence, the Doctor stood up and walked over to the console. He looked up at his monitor where he had tucked one of his secrets. He stared at the picture of Rose. When he was in his Ninth form, Jack had taken to documenting all the group's adventures and he had never been more glad then when Rose left that the American had. It was a perfect picture. She was laughing, her hair was blowing in the wind. She was absolutely beautiful, and Jack had captured this moment perfectly.

The Doctor gingerly picked it up, his fingers stroking reverently over the dog-eared edges, showing how much he'd done this exact movement before. He sighed. The TARDIS, and Donna, and even (if he would admit it) himself, had given the Doctor quite a predicament. Everything in his being was shouting that Rose Tyler was _his._ Had been won fair and square with flirting, saving her life multiple times, and stolen glances. However, his heart and mind were waging a war on his feelings considering he had left Rose in this parallel universe with another version of himself. He had wanted her to find happiness. If she had?

He was startled by the groan of the TARDIS doors opening. He quickly tucked the picture in one of his jean pockets, and straightened himself up to look innocent as possible. It was a good thing, too, because it was Rose Tyler herself standing in the doorway.

"Hello," she said. She was absentmindedly stroking the doorframe. "I really missed her."

"She missed you, too," he said sincerely.

"I'm sure she had others to keep her company," Rose said.

The Doctor walked over to where she was standing. "She _loved_ you."

Her breath hitched, but he couldn't tell if it was from their closeness, or just him.

"I hope you don't mind I barged in," she said, "I couldn't sleep and-"

"The TARDIS is still your home," the Doctor interrupted gently. "That's why she let you in."

"I was kind of afraid you'd gone again," Rose admitted, looking down like she was ashamed to admit it. "John said you would be already."

The Doctor grabbed her chin lightly. "I wouldn't leave without telling you goodbye, Rose Tyler."

She blushed and nodded. He dropped her chin.

"Would you maybe fancy a cuppa?" she asked, breaking the tension.

"With chocolate digestives." He smiled.

It was then she noticed the picture sticking out his jeans. He cursed under his breath in Gallifreyan. Stupid Earth clothes and non-transdimensional pockets.

"What's this?" she asked.

He sighed and pulled out the picture for her to look at. "You."

Rose's eyes were watery. "You kept this?"

"Course I did! Jack had an eye for capturing his subjects, and...I liked the way you looked in it," he admitted sheepishly.

She reached up to cup his cheek. "Doctor, I-"

"Rose, are you in here? Doctor, do you need help fixing this thing, or-" John stopped in his tracks when he got into the TARDIS. He looked at the two of them together with the same soul piercing gaze again, like he was trying to decipher something.

Rose jumped back like she had been shocked. "I- uh, was actually just about to make a cuppa. You want one? Three sugars, right?"

"That's how the Doctor takes it," John frowned.

She shook her head and backtracked. "Of course, I only meant one. My brain's all scrambled. M' tired."

The Doctor cleared his throat. "I actually, erm, could use some help with repairs if you don't mind?"

John nodded. "Sure."

"Oi, you two behave while I'm gone," Rose warned, waggling her finger at them, and rushing off to the TARDIS kitchen.

"You still have those lovely chocolate banana cream digestives? We don't get those here," John said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah," the Doctor replied. "Whole boxes full. You can have some, if you want."

"Right, thanks."

"Shall we...get to it?" the Doctor suggested.

"Yeah," John agreed.

 _First order of business is to fix the TARDIS,_ the Doctor reminded himself. He could only be friendly to Rose Tyler right now. He wouldn't try to woo her. He could do that. He was the last of the Time Lords, and it was his penance to travel on alone. He didn't need Rose Tyler.

Oh, who was he kidding?

…..

The Doctor and John were silently working on the TARDIS when Rose came back in wielding a tray.

She passed out the tea and biscuits and then sat in between the two of them. Her hands were curled around her cuppa with her knees tucked up in front of her. The Doctor instantly relaxed as he was reminded of all the other sleepless Rose Tyler nights where she had done the exact same thing.

"So, what happened to the TARDIS?" Rose asked.

He was silent for a moment, not sure if he should tell her all the bad news they had already discovered. The Doctor put down his sonic screwdriver, wiped his hands on his pants, and sat up to look her in the eye.

"Whenever I crashed, all the systems went offline. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. Usually, whenever I get stuck somewhere, it's for a specific reason trapping me here and not allowing me to leave. This...this is like something entirely different."

"What d'you mean?" Confusion flashed in her eyes.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, the TARDIS is refusing to repair itself, and I can't figure out why. We've tried everything. Nothing is broken. It just refuses to turn on."

John cleared his throat, and the two of them turned to look at him. "If I may offer a solution. I think the TARDIS is keeping you here until you resolve your own issues with Rose, whatever they may be. Now, since there's nothing to be done here. If you don't mind, I'll be going to bed." He stood up and kissed Rose chastely on the lips before leaving.

Rose looked slighly shocked. "I should probably follow him. He get terrible nightmares. I'll see you for dinner tomorrow, though, yeah?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he said sincerely.

She graced him with her tongue in teeth grin and squeezed his hand briefly. She collected her mug and John's, placing them on the tray before walking out of the TARDIS as well.

The Doctor let out a shaky breath and got back to brainstorming.

…..

She was a fantastic cook. Why didn't he have her make more meals when they were traveling? It had just never occured to him, with the TARDIS having meals readily available for them when they were hungry.

He hadn't realized how engrossed he was in the food, until John spoke. "She's a brilliant cook, right?"

The Doctor nodded his agreement. "I didn't know you could cook like this, Rose."

Her face deepened in color. "It's nothin', really."

"Nothing! Rose, don't be so humble," John admonished.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "John's right, this is brilliant. Molto Bene!"

Rose's face lit up at the praise.

He went back to eating his shepard's pie. He would look up every now and then to glance at Rose to find her staring back. Gods, why was she so beautiful? She was just a pink and yellow human, so why did she have so much effect on him? _Because she is so much more,_ he told himself, _she's our Rose._

"So, why did you leave her Doctor?" John asked.

The Doctor choked on a piece of his shepard's pie and drank a long sip of water, and Rose let out a squeak of surprise. _Oh._ He was wondering when all this would come out.

He gave him his best Oncoming Storm glare. "You know why, John."

"I know, but she doesn't. I want you to tell her. Do you have any idea what it's like, having to listen to her scream every night? Having to listen to her cry and ask why you abandoned her?"

Yes, he had. He never wanted to live through it again. He was being so cruel, but if this was what Rose went through he deserved this.

The Doctor's face fell, and he looked at her with soft eyes. "Is this true, Rose?"

She looked close to being on the verge of tears as she dropped her fork.

"Of course it's true!" John snapped. "She just doesn't want to tell you, because you're her _precious Doctor!_ The one she thinks she needs to protect, that needs saving, but never protects herself!" His eyes widened as he realized what a mistake he made. John's eyes darted over to Rose.

She threw down her napkin, pushed back from the table, and ran out of the kitchen. John and the Doctor watched, horrified. He sighed.

"You go after her, Doctor. It's you she wants to comfort her. I shouldn't have said those things, I just needed you to see- to-to understand-"

"She knows you're sorry," the Doctor assured.

"I hope," John finished. "I'll be back. Just don't," he paused, the next words coming out as a plea, " _don't._ "

The Doctor knew he meant don't take her away from him. John pushed back from the table and slammed the front door.

The Doctor sighed and got up quietly. He walked out into the hallway until he reached a door with a rose on it, just like her room in the TARDIS. He paused for a moment, tears in his eyes, as he realized how much she missed it. The traveling, the TARDIS, and him. He pushed the door open to reveal a heartbreaking sight.

Rose was curled into a ball on the bed, sobbing. Tears and makeup ran down her face, and she was letting out great big hiccuphs. He didn't think. The Doctor just crossed the room and scooped her up into his arms in a second. "Precious girl," he said reverently, stroking the tears and hair away from her face.

Rose didn't say a word, she just clung to his neck. He carried her into the TARDIS and didn't stop until he reached his room. He placed her on the bed and wrapped his arms firmly around her. Before he knew it, they were both fast asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Another had to tone down John's temper tantrums moments, and the ending is different as it just wouldn't make any sense for John to randomly appear at the store in the middle of the day when he's supposed to be at work. I hope you enjoy this rewrite, there's lots of DoctorxRose fluff, but I promise John will get his turn as well! Enjoy?

 _He was awoken from one of his power naps by a scream. The Doctor didn't think, he just ran. Rose was in trouble._

 _He pulled the door to her room almost clean off the hinges, privacy be damned for once. She was having a nightmare. The Doctor let himself breathe, going over to the pink and yellow human's bed. He gingerly pushed the sweaty hair back from her forehead._

" _Rose. Rose! You're having a nightmare."_

 _She shook herself awake, her beautiful, big brown eyes looking up at him. She reached out to him to join her in the bed he presumed. He complied._

" _Wanna tell me what that was about?"_

" _I just keep picturing the reapers takin' you, and how it felt to lose you."_

" _You'll never, ever lose me again," he promised in his previous self's thick Northern burr. "Not if I have anything to say about it._

The Doctor awoke to a someone softly stroking his shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked, slightly disoriented. By his time senses, they'd only been asleep for three hours.

"Better now," Rose smiled softly.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked. The Doctor looked at her nervously, afraid she was going to tell him to leave. And he would do it, if it made her happy.

"Can we...maybe go to the library?" Rose asked.

"The library?" he asked.

"That's where the swimmin' pool still is, yeah?"

He simply nodded, his eyes trained on her for any idea as to what Rose could be thinking.

"Then we're goin' to the library!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand between both of hers and dragging him out the door. The same electric current he got since the first time he'd met her buzzed through his veins.

"We don't have any bathing costumes," he realized. "We'll have to stop at the wardrobe."

"We don't need them!" she said happily, continuing her walk down the TARDIS hallways, until the library door appeared in front of them, much closer than the Doctor had ever remembered it.

"I guess we see who's clearly the TARDIS' favorite," the Doctor mumbled.

Rose laughed and opened the door, leading the way towards the swimming pool. She dropped his hand to unbutton her jeans.

His eyes widened, and his hearts stopped. It was never a good thing for his mind or his libido when he was Rose Tyler in so little clothing. "What are you-" but he was cut off, by a finger placed against his lips.

"Shhh. Off with that tie then." She grinned at him cheekily and he couldn't resist.

He started to shuck his tie, suit jacket, button up shirt, and t-shirt. "But what about John?" he asked, the words echoing around the space in between them. Rose paused with her jeans around her ankles.

"We have...an understanding. I just wanna swim to clear my head, alright? We're not goin' skinny dipping, so nothin' to worry about, yeah? I'm not Captain Jack, I won't ogle you in your pants!"

He was apalled until she winked. "Wellll, I can't say I promise the same thing." He winked back. On the outside, he tried to protray the cool facade he usually had; on the inside, he was trying to remember how to breathe. He reached to unbutton his trousers when he was stopped by a small, soft hand.

"Let me," she said gently, her own jeans on the floor. She slowly unbuttoned them, and the entire time, the Doctor died and regenerated inside of his mind at least two or three times. Too many times then he would like to admit, the Doctor had dreamed of a scenario like this. He looked at this rare skin being exposed to him. Those _legs._ Long and lean, and probably soft to the touch like her hands. He had to keep himself from reaching out to touch that theory.

"All done," she whispered. He slipped out of his trousers and threw them aside.

"Should I?" he gestured to her shirt.

She shrugged. Gods, what was this woman doing to him?

The Doctor slowly lifted the shirt she was wearing up and over her head. He reached down to stroke her bare shoulders.

She gasped, and reached out to pull of his vest top. Only in their underwear, they both looked appreciatively at each other like any time they had gone to a beach.

Rose was the first one to break the spell. "Come on, Doctor! We're goin' to do a dive together!" She grabbed his hand once more, and he followed her to the edge of the pool. They looked over the side, to stare at the clear water below them. "D'you think this...I mean is it still heated?" she asked, suddenly sounding nervous.

"Only one way to find out," he grinned, gripping her hand tighter and canonballing into the water. "Allons-y!"

They splashed into the water below, laughing and spluttering with water in their nose.

"Oi!" she protested, splashing him with water.

"I bet you I can beat you at the best dive!" she announced proudly. "Jericho Street Junior Gymnasts, Under 7's."

"Time Lord," he reminded her.

She quickly swam to the edge to pull herself up. "We'll see about that!"

"I-" he started to rebutt, but the sight that was presented him when she pushed herself up of her light blue knickers and curvy backside stunned him.

"Did you lose your breath or something?" she teased him. "You never back down from a rebuttal." She turned to look at him, and he shook his head to clear his head once more. "Doctor, you're purple!" she exclaimed, alarmed. "Are you breathin'?"

He let in a shaky breath, feeling himself return to normal color. "I'm sorry. Lost myself for a minute there."

"Apparently so," Rose teased, her tongue slipping between her teeth as she smiled.

…

They spent the next half hour laughing and splashing each other, until the Doctor noticed Rose yawning.

"Alright then," he said, smiling. "Bedtime for the human."

After much grumbling, Rose got out and wrapped herself in the towels the TARDIS provided for them.

The Doctor wrapped himself in one too, and then scooped Rose up once more, making her giggle. "What about a bedtime story?"

"Harry Potter?" she pleaded. "We never finished the last one before I left."

He smiled down at her. "Course." He plopped her down on the big armchair they usually curled up in and picked up the novel where they had left it the last time it had been read.

Four pages later, Rose Tyler was snoring softly.

….

This time the Doctor was awoken by someone calling for Rose.

"Where are you guys?" John called as he came down the hallway. He appeared in the library door, and it was only then the Doctor realized how all this appeared as Rose's towel had slipped while she was sleeping, revealing a bra and knickers.

"What's going on?" John asked.

Rose woke up at this, looking disoriented before she quickly recovered herself. "Er, s'my fault. We went swimmin', I got tired, and the Doctor read to me till I fell asleep."

John looked at the Doctor for confirmation, and he just nodded vigorously.

"RIght, well, I made brunch!" John announced.

Rose smiled brightly. "I'm starved, actually. Sounds lovely. Doctor?"

He shook his head. "Oh, no. I'm alright. You two go on."

Rose stood up and walked over to John, kissing him on the lips. "Let's go then, you."

….

The Doctor was tinkering under the console when Rose appeared later.

"Brought you a plate," she said.

He got out from underneath the panels and sat up to face her. "Thanks," he said sincerely. "I guess he got the cooking bit from Donna, as we know I'm rubbish at it."

"Oh yeah," Rose agreed. "First time he told me he made banana pancakes, I panicked, thinking he'd started a fire. Like that time you tried to make me toast with my morning cuppa in your last regeneration." She laughed, and he joined in.

He dug into (the admittedly delicious) banana pancakes. "These are quite good," he said quietly.

"I actually came in here with a propostion for you," Rose said.

The Doctor put down his knife and fork. "What's that?"

"I want you to go with me to pick out a wedding present for Chase and Susan, some friends of John's and mine."

He frowned at the thought of something so domestic. "John's okay with this?"

Rose sighed. "John's at work. I got a rare day off."

"So, I'm on wedding present duty."

"I mean- you don't have to, I'll go alone," Rose said, looking away.

"No, I'll go," he assured. "Let me just finish up and we'll go."

She beamed at him. "Thanks!"

….

"RIght, so, Susan likes flashy, pointless objects. Any suggestions?" she asked the Doctor.

He thought for a moment, scratching his stubble. "A diamond?"

"Hey!" Rose playfully smacked his arm.

"Oi!" he protested. "What'd you do that for?"

"Diamonds are not flashy, pointless objects!" she exclaimed. "Besides," she said, jutting her chin out defiantly. "Your metacrisis doesn't think so."

The Doctor's lips curled in disgust. "Something else he got from Donna, then. For one, diamonds put into jewelry shine very, very brightly, and women stick their diamonds in other women's faces. Flashy. For two, diamonds, to humans are meant to show posession or wealth to others. Why do women wear rings after getting engaged? To show other men she's taken. Pointless. In Gallifrey, women are bonded to a male for life. If another male so much as touches her arm, he's toast. Literally. Marmalade covered and all." He thought of a box that had remained untouched in his nightstand for five years now, after Krop Tror when he was going to ask Jackie Tyler's permission. It contained the bonding ribbon for his culture, and a band with leaves and tiny roses entangled for hers.

Rose's mouth opened and closed trying to form a comeback, but she came up short.

"Exactly, you have nothing to say because I'm right and I'm clever!" he announced proudly, causing the store's occupants to turn and look at them. "Sorry," he apologized.

"So, this bonding…" she started, "how does it work?"

"When two Gallifreyans are in love, and share a pure and completely devoted connection to each other, there's a ceremony where they entangle their hands together in a sacred cloth, and then establish a mental connection. You know when they're in trouble, when they're happy, angry, sad, when they die…"

"Does it work between a Time Lord and a human?" she blurted out. The Doctor blinked and gaped at her.

"I-uh, well…" He didn't want to tell her how much extensive research he had put into this.

"Never mind," she mumbled. "I didn't mean it." Rose put sudden interest into picking out the worst objects for the couple.

"Hey, tell you what!" the Doctor exclaimed suddenly. "You and me, we'll have a contest of who can pick out the worst object."

She agreed and they took off running in opposite directions.

….

Rose was running towards him, a wild look in her eyes like when they were adventuring, clutching an odd looking elephant lamp and smiling widely.

Oh, but he had her beat.

They stopped in front of each other, slightly breathless, and he took his hand from behind his back to show her the Paul Bunyon tea kettle.

"Okay, yeah, you win," she admitted in defeat, placing the lamp on the nearest shelf.

"Told you I would," he teased.

"Oh, shut up." Rose Tyler smiled a tongue in teeth smile, and he felt himself get lost in the moment.

"What do I win then?" he asked.

Rose pulled him closer by the suit jacket, crashing their lips together, and stunning him so much he dropped the kettle with a resounding _crash! Finally,_ his brain sighed happily. This was beautiful, fantastic, and brilliant all rolled into one. Her lips were so soft and tasted of strawberries.

He pulled back, breathless for a moment. She smiled, dazzingly bright, brighter than a damn supernova, and the Doctor doubted if he could tell you his own name at the moment. The moment was ruined when the store security came running around the corner towards them.

"Run?" he asked, lacing their fingers together, and she nodded.

"Hey! Stop!" the security shouted behind them, but they were in a world of their own.


End file.
